Wire-stretcher.



TEMPLETON..

' Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

8 O 9 1 -m Y A my mm N Rm T A f A. w;

AQUILAR W. TEMPLETON, OF TORNADO, .WEST VIRGINIA.

, WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed'May 27, 1908. Serial No. 435,364.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, A UILAR' W. T PLE- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tornado, in the county of Kanawha and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Wire-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire stretchers' and its object is to provide a simple, durable, and eflicient device of this charactenwhic'h is cheap to manufacture, and can be readily carried from place to place, and can be quickly placed in wires and the like.

Another object is to provide awire stretcher the metal parts of which can bereadily detached from the woodenbody or handle in the event of wear or breakage of any portion so that the damaged part can be readily replaced by a new one.

A still further object is to provide efficient means for holding the wire grlpping members upon the handle without danger of their pulling therefrom. 7

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the wire stretcher in use, the post or pole supporting the same being indicatedby dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section. Fi 3 is a perspective view of the ferrule and ho ding plate.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates the'tapered or substantially frusto-conical wooden body of the wire stretcher, there being an elongated tapered handle portion 2 extending fromthe large end of the body. Said body has a longitudinal groove 3 extending throughout the length thereof and designed to. receive a retaining strip 4 one end of which extends into and is brazed or otherwise secured to, or formed integral with, a metal band or ferrule 5 designed to fit tightly upon the small end' of the body so as tofprevent splittingthereof.

An eye or loop 6 extends ra ially from this ferrule closeto the end of the strip 4 and said strip has a series of openings 7 therein de+ signed to receive'the pointed ends of spurs or position to stretch fence carried from place to place.

' lugs 8 which are screwed or driven into. the

body 1 alongthe longitudinal center of the groove 3. A retaining ring or band 9 is designed to be slipped over the handle 2 and onto the large end of the body 1 so as toextend around the inner end of strip 4, said band. and the body, 1 being so proportioned however that the band can not move over the large end of the body but is held in frictional engagement therewith.

An eye or loop lOextends from the band 9 and has a stem 11 pivotally mounted thereon and on which is swiveled an eye 12 having a hook 13 loosely mounted thereon. Another stem 14 is pivotally connected to the eye 6 and has a loop or eye 15 swiveled thereon and to which a chain 16 is connected, said chain having a hook 17 at its free end. A hook 18 may be secured upon the small end of the body as shown in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to use this device for stretching a wire A the body 1 is placed back of a post B so that the spurs or lugs 8 will press into the post B, after which the chain 16 is extended and hook 17 placed in engagement with wire A. Body 1 is then swung by means of handle 2 so as to pull backward on chain 16 and wire A is thus drawn toward the post. Upon the completion of this movement hook 13 is placed in engagement with the wire and the handle swung in the opposite direction. Hook 13 will thus pull the wire toward the post and the chain 16 will be rendered slack. Hook 17 can then be replaced in engagement with the wire after the chain has been extended. By repeating this operation the wire can be readily drawn taut and'by leaving both hooks 13 and 17 in engagement with the wire said wire can be held while being fastened to the post. The spurs 80f course prevent the body from slipping upon the post during the stretching operation and the also serve to hold the strip 4 and the ferru e 5 upon the body.

Obviously, should the handle become broken it can be readily removed from the metal parts by driving the ring or band 9 over the handle. By then withdrawing the spurs or lugs 8 the strip 4 can be removed from groove 3 and the ferrule driven off of the end of the body. It will'be seen that the device is very'durable and efficient and be.

cause of its light construction it cari beeasily Importance is attached to the fact that the strip 4 not only serves to engage the spurs 8 and thus hold the ferrule 5 in place but it also constitutes a Wear plate so as to protect the body 1 from Wear due to its rocking action upon the posts.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a body and a handle extending therefrom; of a ferrule upon one end of the body, a combined wear and retaining strip extending upon the body, projections extending from the body and through said strip, means surrounding one end of the body for retaining one end of the strip thereon, and separate wire engaging devices connected to said means and to the ferrule respectively.

2. The combination With a body and a handle extending therebeyond; of post engaging projections extending from the body, acombmed Wear and retaining strap disposed upon the body and engaged by said projections, a band surrounding each end portion of the body and of said strip, one of the bands being connected to the strip, and gripping devices connected. to the respective bands.

3. The combination with a longitudinally grooved tapered body and. a handle extending therefrom; of support engaging pointed l projections detachably engaging the grooved 

